Escape
by Queen of the Damned xx
Summary: She was a prisoner doomed to die. He was supposed to be her killer. But things take a turn for the best for both of them...


**Escape**

Down, down, and down she fell into the never-ending darkness. She was aching all over, and her hands felt like they were tied together behind her back. She couldn't see anything but darkness, there was no light, nor any sound. There, she found the bottom, no, she was going to hit it. This wasn't good…almost there, this wasn't happening. One more second but…her eyes fluttered open, and the air seemed to be stuck in her throat. Gasping, she struggled to sit up, her head throbbing violently.

"Where…where am I?" She asked herself quietly. Her eyes scanned the deserted room, but there seemed to be no one around. Oh how she was wrong. Finally, the sound of breathing from the far left corner caught her attention, and slowly she looked over to it. Someone was there, they were just standing there, black hooded robe and mask hiding their face. "Who are you?" She asked loudly, her voice trembling in fright. She tried to move her hands, but she had been right, they were tied behind her back. She struggled to free them, but found it useless.

"Part of your nightmare." That voice sounded so familiar, but with her head aching, she just couldn't place it. They didn't move, instead they stood there as still as a statue.

"Where am I?" Maybe she'd get a straight answer this time, instead of something she couldn't really understand.

"Locked up, unable to escape. They're going to kill you unless you help them, they may spare you for a while use you as bait, and then kill you all. That's their plan, you're not allowed to live. Don't bother to find your way out, this place is set up like a maze for you. You'll die before you get anywhere near the exit." She felt her jaw drop slightly.

"Please…tell me what's going on." If she was afraid, she hid it well. Actually, she was terrified, but she wasn't sure she wanted them to know that.

"I just told you. You of all people should know about this…war. You're involved in it, Miss Granger." He said her name with such annoyance, she was sure she was closer to finding out who he was. "They want to know where Potter's hiding, and they know that you know."

"I won't tell. I'd die before I told them." He let out a low chuckle.

"They have their ways of getting it out of you. You do remember, Death Eaters are skilled in the Dark Arts as well. We have our ways of getting information out of you. Don't think we're stupid."

"It won't work. I'll get out of here, we'll end this all." She snapped with more confidence than she thought she'd have. He moved closer, and she scrambled to try and get away, but there was no where to go.

"Get away from me…Draco." He removed the mask and hood and smirked at her.

"It's about time. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me. So, will you tell us Potter's little secret? Where's he hiding?" He knelt in front of her, taking her chin in his hand. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm not telling you."

"You've always been stubborn, that's why I'll hate to see you die so easily. I've been sent to capture you and try to get you to tell us. We need to know, even though we'll find out eventually. I will admit though, this hasn't been as easy as I had thought. You were particularly hard to follow. It was a chore, but it was oh so interesting. It's a shame that the Golden Trio will have to fall, but if you three simply lived, then the Dark Lord would fail, and that wouldn't be good, now would it?" His tone grew more bitter and cold by the second.

"You've been…stalking me? How could I not have noticed?" She mumbled, looking at him, her eyes blazing with hate. "I hope you die you disgusting…rat." Well, sadly she could come up with no better word. He gave a low chuckle.

"Is that all you could come up with?" He let go of her and stood back up, removing his wand from his pocket. "Well, I'll ask you one more time. Where's Pothead and Weasel? I'm really not afraid to _Crucio_ you." Her face went ghostly white.

"They're…" She needed to think of a place, a lie. Anything would help right about now. "…They're at Number Four…Privet Drive. They're staying with muggles…" Harry hated the Dursley's, so they should be fine on that one. He looked at her for a moment, before lowering the wand and nodding slowly.

"You better be telling the truth, Granger." She hung her head. No, she wasn't telling the truth, she was lying. She was going to die soon, she knew it. But maybe she'd give Ron and Harry a little more time to think up a plan. She looked up as a door opened, allowing another Death Eater entrance. She listened as Draco whispered about the location that she had given him of the two boys. He said one more thing and they both exchanged a small laugh before it was only her and Malfoy in the cold dim room once again.

"Can you untie me? I can't go anywhere, besides you have my wand." She said coldly. He grinned and twirled her wand between her fingers.

"About time you noticed that too. For being so smart, you're not that quick today." He sneered, snapping it in half on his knee. Hermione's eyes grew wide. Great, now she had no weapon what so ever to help herself out of this blasted place.

"I knew for a while. It wouldn't be smart to leave a girl armed with a wand, now would it?" She asked glaring up at him. In three quick movements there was a cold metal object pressed against her throat.

"I could kill you right now…I could amuse myself by watching your blood run from your veins. You're such a defenseless girl, Hermione…so weak and fragile…" He whispered in her ear, making her shudder. She closed her eyes and turned her head away as he removed the blade from her neck. "…that's why I'm going to let you go." He gave her a rough shove and stood up, eyeing the door skeptically. "I'm going to die for this, I know it." He sighed and turned to look at her.

"You're going to…let me go?" She asked staring at him in disbelief. "You're lying. You're full of lies."

"For once, I'm not lying. Hermione, don't get me wrong, I detest Weasel and Potter…but I don't loathe you as much as I thought I did. For everything I've said and done, I can't possibly expect me to forgive you, but I'm not going to watch you die for someone else. So you're going to get out of here, and even though I'm giving my entire life to you, you're going to go into hiding. Got it?" He walked over quickly to her, untying her hands and handing her the wand. "This is yours…"

"Then who's did you…?"

"I snapped my own wand. Not a smart idea. Now get out…if you go through that little door over there, it'll lead you into a hallway. Run until you get to the end, then take a left and then another left. You'll come to a large room. From there take the door and go. Please." She nodded and headed towards the door, but paused, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Dra-"

"Go on! Hurry!" It wasn't like Hermione to leave anyone behind to die. She shook her head, so she may still hate him. He was saving her life, so she was going to try and save his.

"I've never listened to you before, and I'm not going to listen now either. I can't just let them get you because you helped me, now that would be unfair. If anyone's going to kill you, it's going to be me. But not here, and not now. It's not fair that you're defenseless. Now come on!" She grabbed his arm and yanked him, dragging him behind her. "Lead the way, quickly." He glared at her before obeying. They went at almost a run, but had to stop frequently at the sound of voices.

"…What did he say again?" It was a woman's voice, walking along the corridor above them. "Hold up. What was that?"

"Huh?" Hermione peered up through the floor and almost screamed.

"Snape." She hissed. She got a harsh look from Draco and his hand slid over her mouth. He shook his head, and she nodded back, agreeing to stay silent.

"I heard footsteps…below us. You don't think the boy is letting her go do you? I never trusted him. I told the Dark Lord that, but no…he wouldn't listen to me." The woman said with a heavy sigh.

"We are able to trust him. The Dark Lord has faith, and so do I. But…" He trailed off as another set of footsteps could be heard.

"Severus…they're gone. The boy and the prisoner." The man huffed.

"I told you!" The woman shrieked. "Though the Dark Lord is always right, I'm afraid he was misled with this one."

"What can we do?" The man asked, breathing heavily.

"Find them. Kill them both." The woman snapped. "Come on Severus, let's have a look about, shall we? Like under there!" The pointed to the floor and Hermione gasped.

"GO!" He hissed shoving her in front of him as the door behind them banged open. Hermione ran as fast as she possibly could, though she had no idea where she was going.

"Draco where…?" She asked breathlessly.

"LEFT! LEFT!" He cried, gripping onto the door and pulling it open as they darted inside. Oh how she wanted to stop and take a breath! "We can't linger here…I knew this was a bad idea. I should've killed you back there…or let you suffer. But no! I had to go against everything, I had to be nice for once! The one and only time in my life where I decide to try and help…and look what happens…I'm stuck in a hell hole. Well let me tell you something I-" She grabbed his arm and ran for the door. One more door after this and they were free. They could go their separate ways and be done with it.

"There they are! Get them, get them both!" It was the woman, and Hermione had no time to look back. She kept running, him right on her heels. The door seemed to be stuck for a moment until she wrenched it open, slamming it in the faces of angry Death Eaters.

"Go…I can't breathe…I'll catch up…" She said putting her hand on the wall for support. He was almost ready to listen to her and just take off, but he didn't.

"Eh, I can't. I cannot believe I am saying this but, it just wouldn't be right to leave you behind. Now don't make me have to try and carry you out of here, because I'm really looking forward to it, so come on." It was his turn to grab her arm and drag her out of the old decrepit house. They stumbled out onto the road, and began laughing insanely.

"Well, that was amusing. I shall remember that I will be the one to kill you." She said nodding slowly.

"I'll be waiting, Granger."

"So this is it? We're on our own now. I'll go back to Ron and Harry, and where will you go?" She looked down at her feet then back up at him.

"Where I find it safest. I will regret saving you someday you know."

"Yea I know…" She grabbed his arm and yanked him closer, pressing her lips against his for a moment before pushing him away. "I will regret doing that someday as well. Though if I didn't do it…I may regret it even more." She let out a sigh and gave him a small nod. "Until next time, Draco Malfoy."

"Until next time, Hermione." He gave her a small smile and turned away from her, walking down the street. With a sigh she too turned and headed back to the Burrow. That's where they'd be waiting…that's where they'd form another plan to find and kill Voldemort…the Burrow…that's where her friends would welcome her back with opening arms, and make sure she was okay before they let her rest. The Burrow…that's where she'd think about the day when she met back up with Draco Malfoy…


End file.
